Explaining what is culture, culture shock, different steps and HODSTED’S Cultural Dimension– Country Comparison(comparison with India and 4 other major countries)

1. ORIENTATION
SESSION
ALAN SHANY
RAKESH GOPAL V
DEVIKA A
MADHVI NAMBIAR

2. CULTURE
Culture- cultura - latin term-to cultivate
Culture in the broadest is cultivated behaviour; that
is the totality of a person’s learned, accumulated
experience which is socially transmitted ,or more
briefly behaviour through social learning

3. CULTURAL SHOCK
A sense of confusion and uncertainty sometimes with
feelings of anxiety that may affect people exposed to
an alien culture or environment without adequate
preparation.
Symptoms of cultural shock
◦ Isolation and frustration
◦ Sleeping a lot
◦ Nervousness
◦ Home sickness
◦ Crying
◦ Other symptoms

4. HODSTED’S CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
– COUNTRY COMPARISON

5. INDIA V/S THE
UNITED
KINGDOM

6. 1.Timings : In UK, there is nothing more strictly defined than the office hours :). People do not come
late and very rarely do they stay back after office. Its not as if the office hours are monitored by anyone
but still they do follow the code. In India, people generally creep into offices. Reaching late is part of
the routine. And then, to impress bosses people stay back till late. Staying back is a norm and this
generally helps the people get good reviews.
2. Languages: The official language is English and Polish is the common language in Wales and
England.
3.Productivity: In UK, productivity is generally higher as compared to Indian Offices. Small things
make a lot of difference in this regard. For e.g., in US, people generally drink their tea / coffee on their
seats reading / replying to mails. In India, we have long breaks for Tea / Coffee Meetings last only upto
the scheduled time and not longer unlike India where 30 minutes meeting regularly run upto 45-60
minutes. And yes, Lunch breaks are shorter. All in all, focus is on work and getting the work done
quickly is the first priority.
4.Processes, Processes, Processes: In India,we love to make complex processes and follow them even
if they do not make any sense In UK, things are a lot simpler. You can simply go and talk to the person,
explain the situation and get the work done much quicker. Its not as if there are no processes in place
there. But they realize that Processes are meant to make our lives easier, and ensure error-free and quick
execution, and if the processes are failing on any of these criteria, they are willing to do what is
logically correct.
5.Hierarchy: Almost all IT companies in India have very hierarchical structure. There are so many
hierarchical level with some levels (leads and above) having almost no hands-on work. Also, hierarchy
is very strongly linked to the work-experience of a resource. It is slightly different in US and UK. For
one, organizations are much flatter. Even if two people have different title, it rarely shows in their day-
to-day interactions. Also, hierarchy has nothing to do with years of experience a person has.

7. Business etiquette:
• Open mindedness: In Europe (especially in the Netherlands), people are very open. Sometimes
even too open, which results in being blunt or offending people.
• Punctuality
In general, the British value time-keeping for business arrangements. If you set up a meeting for two
o’clock, the chances are your counterparts will arrive on time or just before.
• Gift giving
Gift Giving is not a usual part of British business etiquette, although reciprocation is good practice
when gifts are received. Some organisations are encouraged not to accept any form of gift and some
are prevented from doing so on legal grounds. However, where a gift is offered, it is important to
ensure that it is not expensive enough to be considered a bribe or so inexpensive as to be considered
an insult.
• Business dress code
When it comes to business dress codes, classical conservative attire is the norm for both men and
women in British culture and dark colours such as black, dark blue and charcoal grey are
predominant. any organisations provide their non-professional employees with a work-based
uniform, which enables everyone to look ‘corporate’ and reflects a certain image of the company.
The type of uniform, whether smart or more casual, will give you a good understanding of the type of
organisation and the culture to be found there.
• Bribery and Corruption
Bribery and corruption are generally taken very seriously in the United Kingdom and the chances of a
bribe being accepted are very low. The risks are too high and it is strongly advisable not to try to
bribe anyone.

8. HODSTED’S CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
– COUNTRY COMPARISON

9. HODSTED’S CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
– COUNTRY COMPARISON

10. China & India

11. Similarities
Both India and China has collective culture.
Leisure time more often spent with family.
Less aggressive in conflict; say things to avoid embarrassment of others.
Characterize in having close ties, respectful and friendly.
Attitudes toward teachers, education and child upbringing
Both are superstitious cultures (for example, superstitions surrounding
when one can cut hair, cleaning the house before holidays, etc.)
Associations of colours with ideas (red being one of the most auspicious,
white being the colour of mourning and death in both Indian and Chinese
tradition)
Tea cultivation -- both India and China have been doing it for so long,
nobody has the slightest clue who had it first

12. Differences
Traditional Chinese culture has been all but wiped out by the CCP, particularly during the
Cultural Revolution. So what you see in the PRC is not Chinese culture but the culture of
the CCP.
Chinese consume a lot of meat. There is a Chinese saying that the Chinese eat anything
that has 4 legs except the table. In India, meat usually means chicken or mutton. Some
religions in India require the adherents to be vegetarian.
China has a drinking culture. Drinking alcohol is not frowned upon as it is in most parts of
India
The CCP has banned all traditional Chinese clothing. People in China usually wear Western
clothes. That includes the women. Even what the Chinese government portrays as
traditional Chinese clothing is not really traditional Chinese clothing. But most Chinese
living in the PRC do not care or have forgotten. No such bans exist in India unless the
tradition perpetuates suffering or discrimination
In China, people prefer chopsticks while eating. In India, bare hands are more popular.
Gestures of indication (for example, yes/no/happiness/sadness) differ between the two

13. INDIA Vs GERMANY

14. Communication barriers
The German language is one of the major factors
that hinder the entry as well as the growth of
non-German companies.

15. Deadlines and commitments
In Germany it is common practice to work on a project by
adhering strictly to the scheduled plan. Punctuality is taken very
seriously.
If you expect to be delayed, call immediately and offer an
explanation. It is extremely rude to cancel a meeting at the last
minute and it could even jeopardize your business relationship.
Not finishing a task in a given timeframe can be an unpleasant
surprise for them and might cause disappointment.
Punctuality is not a choice, it is a necessity in the German work
culture.

16. Boss or a team member?
Germans like working in teams and collaborate quite well across
hierarchical lines. Role allocation within the team is generally
clearly defined and people will take greater responsibility for
their specific task than for the group as a whole.
Indians on the other hand like to work according to hierarchy. In a
team, there is a team member, a team leader, a project assistant,
and a project manager. In this hierarchical structure,
communication often goes through many channels and takes a
longer time.
A flat work structure is preferred in Germany as it makes
communication easier and less complicated.

17. Being direct
In business relations, it is often preferred to be clear and direct
rather than saying or doing things indirectly.
Direct communication is valued by Germans.
Being direct is what Germans appreciate and what many Indians
misunderstand to be rude.
For a better communication printed notes are also
recommended. To avoid any cross cultural miscommunication
make sure your printed material is available in both English and
German.

18. Flexibility
Germans like to do things in a defined way and do not
welcome changes. Particularly last-minute changes are a
no-go! Flexibility is something that lacks in the German
work culture as Germans like to plan everything in
advance.
An appointment for a meeting should be made at least
one week in advance as last-minute appointments are
almost impossible.

19. Business etiquette
Certain business etiquettes are strictly followed in Germany. A
firm handshake before and after a business meeting is very
important. Making direct eye contact while speaking shows a
person’s confidence about what he or she is presenting, so eye
contact also plays an important role during the initial stages of
building trust.
During a networking event, Germans basically talk beyond their
company’s products and do not focus on selling them. These
things do affect the overall impression of a company and its
employees.

20. Private life is different than
professional life
In Germany, calling business partners or even writing
work-related emails on the weekends is a no-go.
Germans value their personal lives and they usually
dedicate their weekends to their families and friends.
Indians on the other hand draw a very thin – almost
invisible – line between their private and professional
lives.

21. Conclusion
It can be concluded that cultures have their unique
characteristics. Just like with humans, no one
culture is perfect. So the best way to deal with each
other is to adapt and accept each other’s culture
and improvise wherever necessary.